SINGAPORE, March 31 (Bernama) -- The concept of Islam Hadhari or civilisational Islam will go a long way in helping to relieve the religion from the burdens of being connected with terrorism, an analyst said.

Zaid Hamzah, who is also a consultant with Microsoft Legal & Corporate Affairs, Asia Pacific, said the concept, introduced by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, is a very clear attempt "to re-focus on the progressive value of Islam."

"Islam at this point in our history post-911, the agenda is being driven by a minority. It is the task of the majority to portray Islam in its complete way," he told Bernama in an interview after delivering a talk on "Strategic Technology Thinking in Malaysia and Islam Hadhari as the Re-orientation of the Islamic Worldview" at the Nanyang Technological University here recently.

"In my personal view, if we succeed in getting the message across that Islam is about preserving those key values, that would help moderate the small group whose views on Islam, I think, is distorted," said Zaid, 47, an author and a technology and intellectual property strategist.

Islam Hadhari, he said, focuses on the quest to rejuvenate Islamic civilisation, among others, through science and technology.

"If the world can recognise and accept that, then the narrow agenda that is being pushed by a small group, I hope would be neutralised.

"If the global community, perhaps starting in Malaysia, reach a point when they can recognise this as beneficial not just for the Muslim but the rest of the world, especially post-911, then Islam Hadhari can help change worldviews.

"And I think that's the way to help relieve us of this burden of currently being connected to the issue of terrorism," said Zaid, who is also a former diplomat.

He said it was in the interests of the West and the rest of Asia to support Abdullah's Islam Hadhari concept.

"I wouldn't know if the international community would accept it, but I'm not aware of opposition to Islam Hadhari (at the international level) because what Pak Lah is attempting to do is to remind us that this is the true nature of Islam," he added.

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Thursday, March 29, 2007 at 6:33 PM.

Hmm..

BN Does Not Want A 'Fake Govt', Dewan Rakyat Told

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (Bernama) -- The Barisan Nasional (BN) does not want to govern the country as a "fake government" by manipulating the election system as was done by some governments in other countries, the Dewan Rakyat was told.

"We don't do that in Malaysia. We govern the nation in accordance with the people's wish. Our government is a people's government, elected by the people, for the people," said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz when replying to M. Kulasegaran (DAP-Ipoh Barat).

Kulasegaran had alleged that there were weaknesses in the country's election system like in the postal votes which gave advantage to the ruling party.

Refuting the claim, Mohamed Nazri said Malaysia's electoral system was fair and did not favour the Barisan as evident from its defeat in Kelantan and Terengganu.

"It was under the present election process that we were defeated in Kelantan and Terengganu. In the 1999 general election, Barisan candidates lost because of postal votes but we accepted it.

"If this system has flaws or favoured the ruling party, then how this can happen? It should not be the case of when we win, everything is rosy, when we lose, the system is unfair," he said.

Earlier, when replying to Datuk Kamarudin Jaffar (PAS-Tumpat) who sought explanation on calls to revamp the Election Commission (EC), Nazri said the exercise was not necessary at the moment.

"The EC too is capable of running the election efficiently and effectively under the existing legal framework. In fact, Malaysia's electoral system has been recognised and accepted at international level," he said.

Nazri said that if there were minor shortcomings that needed to be changed, the EC could forward its proposals to the government for consideration.

On the proposal to use e-mail to make voter registration easier, he said the method would create more problems.

As to the suggestion to use thumbprints as proof that a voter had cast the ballot as was practised in India, Mohamed Nazri said the system was impractical as the number of voters in a constituency in Malaysia was not that many and could be controlled.

KUALA LUMPUR (March 28, 2007): Election Commission (EC) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Rashid Abdul Rahman was criticised today for a recent statement in which he challenged opposition parties to bring him to court if they thought the commission was unfair or not transparent.

The Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections (Bersih) also questioned Abdul Rashid for saying the EC’s role was not to make law.

Repeating earlier calls for Abdul Rashid to resign, coalition spokesman Sivarasa Rasiah described his statement as "misleading" as he had ignored recent developments where the courts had addressed the role of the EC and the process and conduct of elections.

Sivarasa said an amendment was made to the Election Offences Act 1954 in June 2002 whereby the electoral roll, once certified or rectified, "shall be deemed to be final and binding and not be questioned or appealed against or reviewed, quashed or set aside by any court".

He said Abdul Rashid was also aware of the judicial review initiated by Parti Keadilan Rakyat against the commission in April 2004 in respect of some alleged irregularities that occurred during the 11th general election.

Through the attorney-general, who appeared for the EC in court, the EC objected to Keadilan’s application on the grounds that it was a backdoor challenge to the election and said any challenge regarding the conduct of an election had to be by way of an election petition.

"The amendment has effectively removed all legal avenues to challenge the credibility of the electoral roll," Sivarasa told a press conference.

"When he was, in part, responsible for immunising the electoral roll from any challenge in an election petition, why is Abdul Rashid asking his critics to take him to court?"

Sivarasa said while laws had to be made and amended by Parliament, the proposals for any electoral law amendment came from the EC.

However, he said, Section 16 of the Elections Act 1958 authorised the EC to make regulations and under Section 17, these regulations needed only to be laid before parliament, which may choose to annul them.

"In practice, the EC has made and amended three regulations on the conduct of election, registration of electors, and postal voting.

"All three regulations began with the line: ‘In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 16 of the Elections Act 1958, the EC, with approval of the King, makes the following regulations’."

Despite having said the election laws needed to be reviewed, he said, Abdul Rashid had consistently maintained that only the government had the power to do it, not the EC, and that the opposition parties were barking up the wrong tree.

Asked what had the coalition learnt in the Batu Talam by-election two months ago, Sivarasa said the opposition parties’ (PAS and Keadilan’s) boycott of the by-election showed their concern over the electoral process.

"The commission should deal with the response and provide the remedy and we have suggested three remedies to the EC – use indelible ink to mark voters who had cast their votes, stop postal voting, and clean up the electoral roll," he said.

March 27 - The US navy has begun its largest demonstration of force in the Gulf since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

The exercises, just off the coast of Iran, involve more than 10,000 US personnel.

Kevin Aandahl, a US navy commander, declined to say when plans for the exercises had been drawn up.

The manoeuvres bring together two strike groups of US warships and more than 100 aircraft to conduct simulated air warfare in and above the crowded Gulf shipping lanes.

Military exercises involve the USS John C Stennis and the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, marking the first time that the two strike groupshave operated in a joint exercise under the Fifth Fleet, the navy said.

"Two air wings from the aircraft carriers will conduct air warfare exercises while the surface components will conduct exercises in three general disciplines: anti-submarine, anti-surface and mine warfare," it said.

The Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, an island state that lies across the Gulf from Iran.

The US exercises come after Iran's capture, last week, of 15 British sailors and marines who had, Iran said, strayed into Iranian waters near the Gulf. Britain and the US navy have insisted the British sailors were operating in Iraqi waters.

Aandahl said the US manoeuvres were not meant to threaten the Islamic Republic, whose navy operates in the same waters.

Aandahl said the US warships would stay out of Iranian territorial waters, which extend 12 miles off the Iranian coast.

French presence

A French naval strike group, led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, was operating simultaneously just outside the Gulf. But the French ships were supporting the Nato forces in Afghanistan and not taking part in the American manoeuvres, officials said.

Overall, the exercises involve more than 10,000 US personnel on warships and aircraft making simulated attacks on enemy shipping with aircraft and ships, hunting enemy submarines and finding mines. Agencies

RAUB, March 26 - The proposal of an all-female national service camp might not get everyone’s support as it would create an “unrealistic situation”, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

He said one of the aims of national service was to allow youths of both sexes to integrate to encourage better understanding and mutual respect.

However, Najib said the Government was waiting for a formal proposal on the matter from the National Service Training Council.

“We can only make a decision once we have studied it,” he told reporters here.

On the Machap by-election, Najib said he was confident that the Barisan Nasional candidate would do well.

“We won in three other by-elections and the last one at Batu Talam. We are confident we will win again in Machap,” he said.

On newspaper reports about the arrest of a Malaysian in the United States for alleged involvement in al-Qaeda-linked suicide bombing, Najib said he had yet to receive any information.

“I believe they will contact our Foreign Affairs Ministry soon and we will look into the matter once we know the full details,” he said. theStarOnline

CANBERRA (March 26, 2007): A meeting of Australia’s imams has given the outspoken spiritual leader of the country’s Muslims an extra three months in his job, angering the government.

A meeting of about 60 imams late yesterday decided against sacking the mufti of the nation’s biggest mosque, Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilaly, who was accused of justifying rape last year when he compared immodestly dressed women to uncovered meat.

Imams council spokesman Mohamad Abdalla said the meeting voted to consult the country’s 280,000 Muslims about Hilaly’s future, angering Prime Minister John Howard who said the decision was out of touch with the views of the community.

“They’re exercising their right. But I think they’re doing their community damage,” Howard told Sky television today.

“The failure of the community to do something more decisive about this is damaging the image of Islamic Australians as part of our community. I think the impact of this decision will be extremely negative.”

Howard, who has said Hilaly does not promote Australian values, had urged Muslim leaders to drop Hilaly, who once described Howard, U.S. President George W. Bush andBritain’s Prime Minister Tony Blair as the real axis of evil.

Hilaly also angered many locals when he told Egyptian TV that Muslims had a greater right to be in the country than white Australians who came from convict heritage.

Abdalla said the imams had decided to set up a council with representatives from each state, to look at the qualities they wanted from a new mufti.

He said Muslims wanted a mufti who was qualified in Islamic law, who could communicate in English, and who was aware of the social, economic and political context in Australia.

Muslim clerics last September resolved to do more to speak out against violence and Islamic militants, to set up a national centre for Islamic studies to train local imams, and to ensure more imams deliver their weekly sermons in English. - Reuters

RAUB, March 25 (Bernama) -- The Government has not decided whether to accept the proposal to have an all-female training camps for female National Service (NS) trainees, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said not all parties would agree to the proposal by the National Service Training Council.

"The proposal has not been conveyed to me officially. Wait until I receive it from the council before we make a decision.

"But I am aware not everybody will support the proposal as many people feel segregating the trainees will create an unrealistic environment," he told reporters after attending a meet-the-people session at Kampung Sega Tat.

"One of the qualities we should have in managing ourselves in the company of the opposite sex is mutual respect and understanding," said Najib, who is also Defence Minister.

He was commenting on the statement by National Service Training Council chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye that the council had proposed to the government to set up an all-female NS camps to prevent risks on female trainees.

Asked to comment on a report that a Malaysian held at the Guantanamo Bay Camp was an Al-Qaeda suicide bomber, Najib said he would seek further information on the matter from the Foreign Ministry.

A foreign news agency reported yesterday that the US military claimed Mohammed Farik Amin Zubair detained at the camp channelled RM190,000 to be used in the J W Marriot Jakarta Hotel bombing in 2003.

Asked whether the US had conveyed the information to Malaysia, Najib said: "If there is such information, the Foreign Ministry will handle it. I will check whether the US had informed our embassy."

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 (Bernama) - The Government does not consider itself under pressure to call for a general election, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“There are no pressures actually. Not that the Government has insufficient majority. There are no big issues and so on.

“Besides people are fond on making election speculations, I don't think we are under any form of pressure to hold a general election,” he said in a special interview shown by RTM1 last night.

Asked on how Barisan Nasional (BN) would fare in the next general election, Najib said: “We are confident... but to retain the 2004's extraordinary achievement will not be that easy.”

On the RM7.6bil allocation for Kelantan, Najib said the Government's main objective was to ensure the people's well-being.

“Politics is politics. Hopefully, the Kelantan people can value the Federal Government's sincerity to bring changes to Kelantan and hopefully, with this open attitude, they will support the BN government in future,” he said.

He also said Malaysians need not have doubts about the state of the country's economy as the existing indicators point to positive and encouraging growth.

At the same time, Najib advised the public not to be taken in by negative reports about the economy which were being spread by irresponsible people with vested agendas.

Asked about the lack of confidence by many regarding the implementation of the 9MP, he said:

“This is a result of the information age whereby official data recognised by world authorities and those fabricated by individuals can easily reach a wide section of people at the same time.”

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Saturday, March 24, 2007 at 5:44 PM.

Suhakam: Police interfered with protesters’ right to assemblyRoyce Cheah

KUALA LUMPUR, March 24 - Excessive force was used by certain police officers against a group of demonstrators at KLCC last year, with one officer being positively identified as one of the aggressors.

In Suhakam’s 355-page report of the public inquiry into the incident on May 28 last year, which was released yesterday, the panel found that excessive force was used on an otherwise peaceful assembly.

The report said excessive force was used on 10 persons and identified L/Kpl Mustika Lambonding as being the Federal Reserve Unit (FRU) officer who hit one of the demonstrators, Lee Huat Seng, with his baton.

However, witnesses were unable to identify the other officers because there was no identification (either names or badge number) due to the outer protective armour covering their uniforms (that had nametags).

The panel also examined whether the assembly at KLCC was peaceful and orderly, and the report included excerpts from the inquiry, particularly with the then Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Kamal Pasha, who was the overall ground commanding officer that day.

ACP Kamal told the panel that he expected the crowd to be “unruly and rowdy,” in contrast with Chief Insp Pusparajan and L/Kpl Mohd Nasaruddin Abdul Aziz (both from the FRU), who felt that the crowd was orderly.

ACP Kamal said the crowd was uttering unpleasant words about the Government and that bystanders would have reacted by fighting among themselves.

Panel chairman Datuk K.C. Vohrah said the assembly at KLCC was peaceful and orderly and that the police, in dispersing the assembly, had interfered with the right to the freedom of assembly that was enshrined in Article 10 of the Federal Constitution.

Vohrah said the heart of the panel’s recommendations was the decriminalising of peaceful assembly without a licence under section 27 of the Police Act and the call for the repeal of related subsections.

“In lieu of the requirement for a licence, the panel recommends that the organiser of a proposed peaceful assembly notify the police, and the police and organiser discuss practical arrangements.”

The report’s recommendations added that the rights of any person engaged in lawful advocacy, protest or dissent are not limited by any authority and it should also be ensured that such rights would not be considered as prejudicial to national security.

The report also outlined a number of steps that it recommended the police implement urgently, such as wearing clear identification during crowd control, and prohibiting the chasing and arresting of people who are moving or have moved away.

The panel of inquiry that comprised Vohrah, Datuk Choo Siew Kioh, Datuk Dr Micheal Yeoh and Datin Paduka Zaitoon Datuk Othman, said the report would be forwarded to the related authorities on Monday. theStarOnline

PETALING JAYA (March 23, 2007): The DAP has described the Election Commission (EC)’s refusal to fix a weekend for polling in the Machap by-election as “an act of biasness to benefit the Barisan Nasional (BN)”.

DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng there is no legal basis why polling day cannot be held on a weekend, when schools are closed and outstation voters can return cast their ballots with minimal disruption to their daily lives.

“By fixing polling date on a Thursday (April 12), this will affect the schooling ofstudents and disrupt the daily lives of residents. The nine-day campaigning period is too short for a rural constituency that covers jungles and water catchment areas.

“More unusual is (EC chairman Tan Sri Abdul) Rashid’s claim of a legal basis for choosing a weekday as a polling day, when there is clearly none.

”When Rashid was asked why polling was fixed on a weekday, he said the EC wanted to complete the by-election before April 16, which would be exactly three years since the Malacca state assembly was convened in 2004.

“He said that Election law only allows for by-elections to be held within the first three years of a new state assembly meeting. Polls cannot be held if there are two years left before the deadline for the next general election. And the nine-day campaign period is sufficient as we want to complete the by-election quickly to avoid any politics on the ground.

”DAP challenges Rashid to state which law requires the by-election and polling to be completed within three years of a new state assembly meeting. DAP does not know whether Rashid is confused or pretending to be confused about the legal provisions.

“There is nothing stated in the Federal Constitution, State Constitution or relevant election laws that any by-election must be completed and polling day held within the first three years of a new state assembly meeting. Article 54(1) of the Federal Constitution only provides that a by-election must be held within 60 days of such vacancy,” said Lim.

He said Rashid should resign as EC chairman if he cannot show legal proof of his assertions.

Lim said Rashid’s challenge to the opposition to take legal action against the EC is unreasonable when several legal cases filed in courts have failed as a result of legal technical hurdles that have prevented any deliberation by the courts on the question of whether the EC is independent, free, neutral and fair in conducting elections.

“There is no legal playing field when elections laws are not enforced by Rashid against BN candidates spending RM 110 million on posters alone in the 2004 general elections, far exceeding the spending limit of RM88.3 million allowed in the 2004 general elections.

”By failing to act, the EC is also guilty of abetting electoral fraud or corrupt practices during elections. Under section 19 of the Election Offences Act 1954, a candidate for every Parliamentary and state constituency cannot spend more than RM200,000 and RM 100,000 respectively

“This means that the BN, which contested in all the 219 Parliamentary and 445 state constituencies on offer in 2004 cannot spend more than RM88.3 million.

”Instead of asking opposition parties to take legal action, Rashid should take opposition parties to court for seeking his resignation because he is a liar and failed to fulfill his duties fairly and impartially.

“For instance the joint action committee on electoral reform, BERSIH, has asked that the following three specific reforms concerning the electoral roll and polling as the first steps towards a free and fair election:- the use of indelible ink (as is done in Indonesia and India ) to prevent multiple voting;- the abolition of postal votes except for diplomats and other overseas voters; and- a complete revision of the electoral roll to ensure that the existing irregularities are removed and a roll with full integrity is in place.”

Lim said: “Those are three simple requests, and if he cannot fulfil, then Rashid should resign because he has no moral authority, public credibility and personal integrity to discharge his duties to ensure a free, fair, neutral and clean elections.

“DAP will be going into the by-election with severe handicaps against the might of the BN government machinery, especially in a rural constituency that is a natural BN fortress.

”DAP has no confidence that the EC will uphold the election law to prevent the misuse of government machinery and money politics in this by-election,” he added.

Nomination day is April 3. The by-election is called following the death of incumbent Machap assemblyman and a Malacca state executive councilor Datuk Wira Poh Ah Tiam on March 15.

The voters are made up of 38% Malays, 45% Chinese, 18% Indians and 2% others. The BN has never lost the seat in electoral history.

The electoral battle is expected to be a straight fight between BN's MCA and the DAP. theSunOnline

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Thursday, March 22, 2007 at 10:12 PM.

Paper Cleared in Muhammad Drawings Case

Associated Press

PARIS, March 22 - A French court cleared a satirical weekly newspaper Thursday in a case brought by Muslims who were angered by its publication of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

The newspaper Charlie-Hebdo and its director, Philippe Val, were accused of "publicly abusing a group of people because of their religion." Val had risked a six-month prison sentence and a fine of up to $29,250.

The trial last month drew nationwide attention in a country with Europe's largest Muslim community and a strong commitment to freedom of expression and secularism.

Journalists and politicians have testified and Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy sent a letter of support for the weekly.

The state prosecutor - whose role in court is to defend French law - argued in favor of the magazine, which on Feb. 8, 2006, printed three caricatures - two of them reprints of those carried by a Danish newspaper in 2005 that stoked anger across the Islamic world. One caricature was an original.

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at 11:27 PM.

Angry residents burn bodies of soldiers in Mogadishu mayhem

MOGADISHU, 21 March 2007 (AFP) - Heavy fighting erupted Wednesday in the Somali capital leading to the death of at least 14 people in an escalation of violence which also saw angry residents attacking the bodies of dead soldiers.

Residents burned the bodies of two soldiers and dragged another through the streets recalling the similar fate of US troops in a failed UN-backed peace operation in the early 1990s.

Heavy weaponry duels across southern Mogadishu killed six uniformed soldiers and eight civilians after insurgents opened fire on former defence ministry headquarters where Ethiopian troops, backing the Somali government, are based.

Hundreds of angry civilians celebrated in the Baruwa neighbourhood as they burned the bodies of two of the dead soldiers. The crowd shouted: "You and Ethiopians will die", " Down, Down with Somali troops", and "We will burn you alive".

Nearby, a woman carrying a machete shouted obscenities against Ethiopian and Somali troops while stepping on the body of another dead soldier being dragged by a rope tied to his foot, an AFP correspondent said. It was unclear if the soldiers were Somali or Ethiopian. more..

KUALA LUMPUR (March 21, 2007): Users of the 19 expressways nationwide have to date forked out RM23.656 billion in tolls since the first highway was commissioned in 1988.

The total cost of construction of the highways is RM18.93 billion, according to figures released by the Works Ministry.

In a written reply to Teresa Kok (DAP-Seputeh) in the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu revealed that the North-South Expressway (under PLUS), built at a cost of RM5.94 billion, topped the list of toll collections.

From the start of its operation in 1988 until last year, it collected RM15.91 billion in tolls. The maintenance cost for PLUS, which had been granted 50 years to collect tolls, is RM27.83 million a month or RM330 million a year.

Penang Bridge, which started operations in 1993, has collected RM1.7 billion to date.

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at 10:52 PM.

Bomber attacks US convoy in Kabul

Kabul, March 20 - A car bomber has ended months of relative calm in Kabul by exploding his car next to a US embassy convoy, killing an Afghan teenager and wounding five US security personnel.

Monday's suicide blast, the first in Kabul since December, hurled one of the armoured 4WDs across Jalalabad Road and left two other US vehicles damaged.

A 15-year-old Afghan on the side of the road was killed, said Hasib Arian, the district police chief.

Five US embassy security personnel were injured, one seriously, said Colonel Tom Collins, the spokesman for Nato's International Security Assistance Force.

Ambassador unhurt

Ronald Neumann, the US ambassador, was not in the convoy, Joe Mellott, an embassy spokesman, said.

Later, Qari Yousef Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, said in a phone call to AP that a Taliban activist from Khost province carried out the attack.

US embassy security teams sealed off the road, and initially prevented Afghan police, Nato soldiers and photographers, including those of Al Jazeera, from getting close to the vehicles.

The route is often used by American soldiers travelling to the main US coalition base at Bagram outside the capital and also to various military bases on the outskirts of Kabul.

Reporting from the blast site, John Cookson, Al Jazeera's correspondent, said: "The Jalalabad Road is notorious for suicide bombers; it is used frequently by US convoys. Today's target was a line of US embassy vehicles heading for Kabul.

"The bomber struck in a white car with devastating consequences." One Afghan witness said: "I heard a loud explosion, I went outside - there was a lot of fire and smoke."

Cookson said: "The bombing comes as US and Nato forces increase the pressure on the Taliban in an ongoing guerrilla war and the Taliban responding with suicide bombers - this is the first in Kabul in three months." alJazeera & Agencies

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- Putera Umno will seek assistance from the Fire and Rescue Department to allow them to use the department's MI17 Helicopter as part of their training for the Putera Umno North Pole Free Fall Expedition, scheduled between April 15 and 20. (the Mission date not training date)

Expedition coordinator Datuk Abdul Rahim Dahalan, from the Malaysian Sports Aviation Federation (MSAF), said the helicopter would enable the young parachutists to experience the various techniques of disembarking from an aircraft.

He said, currently, 12 Putera Umno jumpers including two reserves were undergoing the 6,000 to 8,000 feet free fall training at the Segamat airstrip, near Segamat Country Club, Johor, using a CESSNA 172 aircraft owned by MSAF.

"We would like to seek assistance from the Fire and Rescue Department to permit us to use the helicopter in the next phase of training. It would help the jumpers a lot in terms of mastering the disembarking/jumping techniques," he told BERNAMA at the Putra World Trade Centre (PWTC), here this evening.

Earlier, Abdul Rahim gave a two-hour briefing on the expedition preparation to 21 members of the North Pole expedition, including Putera Umno chief Datuk Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahim, who is also the expedition head.

Abdul Rahim, who is also the MSAF vice president (parachute division), said support from various agencies including the Fire and Rescue Department was needed to make the North Pole's mission possible.

Mutah Wassin Shabazz Beale (born in Newark, New Jersey on October 11, 1977) is an African-American rapper more commonly known as Napoleon.

His mother, Aquillah Beale, was Christian and his father Salek Beale, a Muslim. When he was three years old his parents were murdered and his brother, Seike Beale, committed suicide. After this, he along with his big brother Moonie Beale, and his little brother Kamil "Hellraza" Beale, moved in with their grandmother in Irvington, New Jersey.

As Beale grew older he started rapping. In 1994, he ran into his childhood friend Yafeu "Kadafi" Fula who he did not have contact with for years. Kadafi's Godbrother was the notorious rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur. Kadafi's mother, Yaasmyn Fula, told Tupac about Beale. She told him how he witnessed his parents being murdered and it made him cry. He felt he had to meet Beale. After they met, Beale joined their group - Dramacydal. Unlike the other members he did not have an alias and was just known as Mutah.

On April 5, 1995, Tupac's LP, Me Against the World was released. Mutah guest appeared on the song "Outlaw." In 1995, Mutah, Bruce "Fatal" Washington, Kadafi, Katari "Kastro" Cox, Malcolm "E.D.I." Greenidge, and Tupac formed the group the Outlaw Immortalz; which was later renamed as the Outlawz. Tupac gave each member of the group an alias taken from an enemy of America. He gave Mutah the alias Napoleon after French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

On February 13, 1996, Tupac's double LP All Eyez on Me was released. Napoleon guest appeared on "Tradin' War Stories," "When We Ride," "Thug Passion," and "Run Tha Streetz." He was also the center of attention in Tupac's famous song, "I Ain't Mad at Cha." Here Tupac talked about how Napoleon became a strong Muslim who always tried to do good.

In March 1997, Napoleon and the rest of the Outlawz with the exception of Fatal, moved back to California and signed with Death Row Records. They did this despite Tupac's disapproval. On December 21, 1999, the Outlawz's debut LP, Still I Rise, was finally released.

Napoleon and the rest of the Outlawz besides Fatal formed Outlaw Recordz and released their second LP, Ride Wit Us Or Collide Wit Us on November 7, 2000. Their third LP Novakane, debuted on November 6, 2001. One of the first artists who signed with Outlaw Recordz was Napoleon's brother Hellraza. Napoleon made his acting debut in Thug Life which also starred The Lady of Rage and Willie D.

Napoleon's solo debut album, Bonapartes, was due out this year featuring Jon B and Sticky Fingaz. The LP will not be realeased because Napoleon has retired from music. He lived in Abu Dhabi for four months while requesting permanent residency in Saudi Arabia.

Napoleon is residing with his family and children in Los Angeles. He has started a barbershop and salon, Platinum Kuts. He's also working on setting up a mosque for people who are interested in becoming Muslims.In July 2006, Napoleon visted Sydney, Australia to give a talk to the Muslim youth who were being influenced by "gangsta culture" (which had resulted in the killing of two young Muslim men) and advised them against it. His talk impacted the youth greatly because of his background as a mainstream, successful rapper and his friendship/affiliation with the late Tupac Shakur, the most idolized rapper by the Sydney youth.

KOTA BARU, March 19 - The number of Kelantanese working outside the state is equivalent to the estimated population residing in the state, says Kelantan Umno liaison committee deputy chairman Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussin.

He said that the state had lost one generation of working adults who had been forced to seek their fortune elsewhere, given that Kelantan’s economy has been in the doldrums since 1990.

“There is nothing political about it. These are economic facts. A large population base with limited job prospects will result in a strong outbound migration. We have to accept it,” Dr Awang Adek said after closing a seminar on the origins of Peranakan Cina Kelantan here.

The seminar was organised by the state tourism action council to help foster greater understanding about the Kelantan-born Chinese.

Dr Awang Adek is worried that if more Kelantanese were to leave the state, its culture and heritage too would deteriorate as those who migrate usually return only for family reunions or weddings.

Many had also resettled in the peninsula's growth centres of Penang, Selangor and Johor, to such an extent that such states had established Kelantanese settlement corners, he said.

While acknowledging the draw of better income prospects, Dr Awang Adek said: “We must at least retain sufficient numbers to maintain the state’s strong identity and culture.”

Dr Awang Adek said that to overcome this Kelantanese should consider giving Barisan Nasional a chance to govern the state so that its economic status could be improved.

“A state ruled by the Opposition must accept the consequences that it would be left out of the mainstream development pace.”

Later at Bachok, Dr Awang Adek presented offer letters to 80 Class F contractors who would undertake projects worth RM3.76mil here this year under the Ninth Malaysia Plan. theStarOnline

March 18 - After several months of fierce battles between members and supporters of Hamas, and the former ruling party Fatah, that claimed the lives of over 140, Palestinians announced yesterday installing a new government, hoping the new coalition will manage end the international aid cut that was prompted by Hamas victory last year.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called on the international community to join Israel in shunning the new government, calling its platform "very problematic."

"We will not be able to pursue contacts with the government or its members," Olmert told the cabinet. "We expect that the international community will not be misled by the creation of the coalition government."

The new government was approved by a 83 to 3 to vote, with forty-one of the legislature's 132 members, most of them Hamas members held in Israeli jails, not participating in the vote.

And after the Parliament historic session, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas swore in the new 25-member Cabinet.

On the other hand, the United States reacted with caution to the new Palestinian alliance, which replaced the anti-Israel government led by the Islamic Hamas, which has persistently refused to recognise Israel.

In his speech, Mr Haniya said: "The government affirms that resistance in all its forms, including popular resistance to occupation, is a legitimate right of the Palestinian people.

"Our people have the right to defend themselves from continuous Israeli aggression."

In response to the news, Norway announced its recognition to the new gov. and said it would lift aid embargo, whereas Britain and the UN stopped short at explicitly promising that the aid would be lifted, saying that money would start flowing again only if the new alliance managed to control anti-Israel attacks.

Analysts however warned that there’s a possibility that the new Hamas-Fatah alliance would quickly fail over ideological differences as well as long-standing enmities between the two parties.

Syria praised and pledged full support to the new government.

"Damascus demands the lifting of the embargo imposed on the Palestinian people," by the West, a statement in state news agency Sana read.

Palestinian Finance Minister Salam Fayyad warned that the new alliance won’t survive for long unless the international community ended its aid boycott and increased assistance.

"We do face a very serious and crippling financial crisis," he said. "Without the help of the international community, it is not going to be possible for us to sustain our operations." - AJP and agencies

0 Comments
Published by TasekPauh Blogspot
on Sunday, March 18, 2007 at 10:25 PM.

Mohd Johari says yet to be contacted by officers from ACABy SIRA HABIBU

ALOR STAR, March 18, 2007 - Datuk Mohd Johari Baharom, who is at the centre of a RM5.5mil for freedom controversy, says he is ready to answer all allegations against him but notes that no one has questioned him.

The Deputy Internal Security Minister said he had yet to be contacted by officers from the Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) since the allegations surfaced on a website.

He said he had nothing to fear because the allegations were merely “wild accusations.”

Mohd Johari said this when asked to comment on Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s call for him to answer the allegations of graft against him without accusing or blaming others.

“I do not know what the Prime Minister said at the press conference (that resulted in the news being front-paged in most of the mainstream media).

“I meet the Prime Minister often because we are in the same ministry but we have never discussed this matter,” Mohd Johari said after opening the SRJK (T) Changlun Parent-Teacher Association’s annual general meeting at the school located about 45km from here yesterday.

He added he was not facing any problems at the moment and was carrying out his duties as usual.

“I have nothing to worry because I have done everything according to procedure,” he said.

According to the allegations, Mohd Johari had received RM5.5mil to release at least three suspects arrested under the Emergency Ordinance.

On Friday, the prime minister said Mohd Johari must clarify everything.

“If he (Johari) says he is innocent, then Alhamdulillah (thank God),” he said. theStarOnline

The Prime Minister regarded those involved in such action as making a big mistake and should correct themselves.

"Islam Hadhari is an effort based on the Quran.

"We have had problems since the days of yore and we would rectify them, because human beings stand to be corrected," he said when launching this year's national-level Islam Hadhari Village programme at the Millennium Hall, here today.

Abdullah said Islam Hadhari was pure and would not create conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslims, but would instead bring progress to the nation and ummah (community).

"Muslims of different sects should also not have any problems with the implementation of Islam Hadhari principles," he added.

He said the people in this country would not face problems if they practised the Islam Hadhari principles which had attracted the interest of other Muslim nations.

"Islam Hadhari carries universal values like honesty and justice, and places importance on the pursuit of knowledge, economic progress and environmental preservation, and covers all spheres of life."

He said many intellectuals, academics and religious leaders from countries including Germany, England, Australia and New Zealand had viewed the concept as practised here, from a good perspective.

"Before this, Islam had often been associated with violence, which gave a negative picture of the religion among non-Muslims."Abdullah said many Muslim countries were plagued by poverty as they could not master knowledge due to illiteracy.

"Without knowledge, they remain poor and are easily swayed by other forces to the extent of committing acts which are totally against Islam.

"Poverty and illiteracy result in backwardness which undermines the image of the Muslim community at large and the sanctity of Islam."

The Prime Minister hoped that Muslims could etch into history their creation of a glorious Islamic civilisation.

"If a community remains backward, exploited and violated against by others, surely its history becomes an embarrassment.

"But if it is outstanding in various aspects, it will have a glorious history.

"To have a glorious history and civilisation, we need to have excellent human capital that is strong in all aspects.

"In light of this, the country aspires to create as any scientists and intellectuals as the catalysts for progress in this modern world."

Abdullah said until today, there had been no Islamic superpower in this world as Muslims failed to unite and what happened in some Muslim countries should be a lesson for all.

The three-day Islam Hadhari Village programme will have various activities including an exhibition and Islamic cultural performances.

Describing the rumour as a "myth", he said his relationship with the Prime Minister was very close and strong in steering the country's development.

"Being the number two in the country, I always strive to assist the Prime Minister in the country's administration and so on for the good of the country.

"Don't listen to the stories in the internet...they are all a myth," he said in his speech at the Pekan Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) gathering and lunch, here.

Najib said efforts by certain groups in holding ceramah to criticise him including in the Pekan parliamentay constituency were aimed at poisoning the mind of the people against him.

"We should not react hastily, we must stick to principles and the truth...what is important is that we understand and know who will help us," he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said the people were now capable of evaluating the country's leadership and had the right to choose the best and most suitable leader.

"This year, we will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the country's independence, and we should be thankful for being citizens of Malaysia which is developed and strong compared to some other countries.

"This achievement can be attributed to several factors and one of them is effective leadership because we have had leaders with vision, dedication and well planned programs for the good of the people," he said.

As such, the people must be together with the government to remain united in continuing the country's development agenda, Najib said.